Airport (1970)

Directed by: George Seaton
Music by: Alfred Newman
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, Barry Nelson, Van Heflin, Helen Hayes
MPAA rating: G
My Rating: 9.5 out of 10

I first heard of this movie some years ago when it was brought up in a conversation between my Dad and myself. What caught my interest about it was that it was filmed almost entirely at the Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport, which is about a five minute drive from my boyhood home. As a result, this past summer when I spotted it on the shelf at St. John the Evangelist Library, I was quick to borrow it and watch it. The result? I was very impressed.
The film is based on the Arthur Hailey novel of the same name. It relates the tale of Mel Bakersfield (Burt Lancaster), an airport manager who is teaming with mechanical genius Joe Patroni (George Kennedy) to keep an airport hit by a bad blizzard and a airplane accident open to rescue a bomb-damaged airliner piloted by Vernon Demarest (Dean Martin) and Anson Harris (Barry Nelson). Directed by George Seaton and with a score produced by the legendary Alfred Newman, this film was nominated for several of the 1970 Academy Awards, just barely losing out to Cool Hand Luke in all but one of them.
While this movie has many of the vices that plagued the movies of the 70s, I still found it to be better than most I have seen. What surprised me the most about it was that there was some powerful messages underneath it that are still relevant today. The first message is one of the importance of good and faithful marriages. Bakersfield and Demarest are engaged in affairs and as a result are unhappy or uncertain of themselves. They, in turn, look up to men whom they consider to be better than themselves, namely Patroni and Harris who, by contrast, are happily married men known for their wit and wisdom. Secondly, there is a pro-life message portrayed powerfully by Jacqueline Bisset who plays a pregnant stewardess considering an abortion. She decides against it because she realizes that she is carrying a real, unique and special human being who deserves the right to live. Finally there is a powerful message of responsibility brought forth by Demarest when he assumes responsibility for what he has done wrong in his past and is willing to take the consequences.
As far as the movie quality goes, it is very good. The character development takes a little longer than some people would like, but that is excusable due to the number of characters important to the film’s general storyline. As such, by the time the climax hits you really know the characters and what they are going through. In addition the special effects are also well-done, and once the buildup to the climax begins, the movie rolls along in a fast-paced adventure style that has you on the edge of your seat until the end.
The movie does have flaws though. The use of bad language in certain areas is inexcusable. In addition, Helen Hayes’ character, supposed to be a sweet old stowaway, is absolutely obnoxious as a snotty, sneaky thief who talks people’s ears off and is just generally annoying. Her character, though necessary for the movie, could have been reduced significantly to make it bearable, and is the most significant flaw of the entire movie.
Overall, the movie is entertaining and a good Friday night thriller. It is very well-made and at times you can be swept away by the story as it unfolds. It was so successful in its day that it spawned three sequels, and is generally credited with beginning the Disaster Movie genre. (Though modern critics now attribute the true beginning of the genre to The Poseidon Adventure in 1972). The film is safe for children even though I still recommend that parents be there to just explain one or two things that might be hard to understand. Plus, for your everyday college student who travels a lot, it will give you a greater appreciation for those who run air travel for us when we go flying on college breaks.